Folding table



T. F. MURRAY FOLDING TABLE Dec. 12, 1933.

Filed Feb. 29, 1932 nvenior 0/176 1 MFR/47.

Patented Dec. 12, 1933 res PATENT o I FOLDING TABLE Thomas F. 'Murray, New York, N. .Y. 7 Application February 29,1932. SerialNo. 595,779

Y Claims. "(01. 45-11) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in folding tables, and while the invention relates to folding tables of general construction, it particularly lends itself to. folding tables of the type known as card tables. 1

A feature -of the invention resides in a new and novel construction whereby supporting legs of folding type may be so constructed and arranged as to support the table top in either a horizontal or vertical plane.

A further feature of the invention r'esidesin a novel construction whereby the use of catches or looks for the supporting legs is entirely dispensed with. A I

Still a further feature of the invention resides in a novel construction whereby the table may be moved either to its folded position or its extended position merely byrocking the same about one set of supporting legs or elements.

A still further feature of the invention resides in a novel construction whereby the table when the top is in the horizontal position will be rigidly supported without possibility of the same moving to its folded position unless purposely moved thereto.

Other features of the invention relate to certain novel and improved constructions, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims the advantages of which will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art.

The invention will be clearly understood from the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention in its preferred form and the following detailed description of the constructions therein shown.

In the drawing} I Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the table and the position which the parts occupy when the table is in extended position,

Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating the table in folded position.

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation illustrating in dot and dash lines the initial movement of the table to folded position from extended position or the final steps of'movement of. the table from' folded position to extended position, and; Figure 4 is a view in elevation showing the rear of the, table, the table being illustrated in its folded position.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the reference numeral 10 designates the table top which although shown as rectangular in form may be of any desired form. Extending across the table top on the under side thereof, there are battens ll of which there are preferably 'two. Pivotally connected as at 12 to these'battens' 11, there is a pair of supporting legs 13 and thesesupporting legs are preferably provided on their freeor lower end with a supporting arched base 14. The base arches a substantial distance above the floor when the same is resting thereon, and the sides of the same extend outwardly from the respectivelegs to provide spaced supporting feet.

Pivotally connected as at 15 to the supporting legs 13, there is a second pair of supporting legs 16 the lower or free ends of which are connectedby means of a supporting arched base 17 similar to the arched base 14.

As will be apparent by reference to Figure 3. the upper end 18 of the supporting legs 16 terminates short of the table top and means is provided toiconnect these upper ends of the supporting legs 16 to the table top which means will now be described. I

Pivotally connected to relatively short battens 20, there are links 21 and these links 21 are connected as at 22 to their respective supporting legs 16 and to the battens as at 23. These links 21 are of such length, that when the legs are folded, the supporting legs 16 may move to position in substantial parallelism with the legs 13 as illus- FFICE f;

trated in Figure 4 and when extended, the links 21 form rigid extensions for the supporting legs 16 as will now be described. In order to restrict the pivotal movement of the links 21 in such a manner that they form rigid extensions of the supporting legs 16, a stop in the form of a transversely extending bar 24 is connected to the supporting legs 16 near their upper end and in such position that as the legs are moved to extended position the links 21 will abut or strike the stop 24 as indicated at 25 in Figure 1 and thus restrict the further pivotal movement of the links 21 and thus cause said links 21 to become rigid extensions of the legs 16.

With the parts in the position illustrated in full line in Figure 3, to fold the table it is only necessary to rock the links 21 about their pivotal point 23 as illustrated by dotted lines in said lOQ supporting foot of one pair of legs will be moved out of engagement with the floor or other support and by so doing the legs will move about their several pivotal points to their extended position and the tabletop will move to position in a horizontal plane. 7

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present invention provides a new and novel formof folding table especially adapted for use in folding card tables. Furthermore, the invention provides for the supporting of the table either in its folded or extended position and for the easy manipulation of the table from either of its positions to .the other position.

While the invention has been herein disclosed in a preferred form, it is to be understood that the invention is not to .be limited to the specific constructions herein shown and that it may be practiced in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and what it is desired to secure by Letters-Patent of the United States, is

l. A folding table comprising a top, a pair of legs pivoted at the under side of the 'top, a second pair of legs pivoted at the under side of the top, one pair of legs being formed of pivoted sections for folding against the top in parallelism with the other pair of legs, and an arched base bridging and secured to the legs of each pair, each base arching a substantial distance from the floor and forming a pair of feet with each foot directed outwardly from its related leg, one -of the bases being substantially in the plane of the top when the table is in folded position, and -both of said bases supporting the table in either its open or folded position.

2. A folding table comprising a top, a pair of legs pivoted at the under side of the top, a second pair of legs pivoted at the under side of the top, one pair of legs being formed of pivoted sections for folding against the top in parallelism with the other pair of legs, and an arched base bridging and secured to the legs of each pair, each base arching a substantial distance from the floor and forming a pair of feet with each foot directed outwardly from its related leg, and both bases being positioned in closelyspaced relation in substantial parallelism with the top and providing a support therefor when infolded position.

THOMAS F. MURRAY. 

